Luggage wrap

ABSTRACT

A luggage wrap provides a weather resistant garment like cover that wraps over a piece of luggage, helping to protect it from dirt, grime, scuffing, and inclement weather. As a snug fitting wrap for the luggage, it provides an element of security in that it can prevent pilferage of items carried in the luggage, as other less secure luggage items are likely in close proximity. With a selection of colors, designs, and indicia, the luggage wrap can provide a ready means of identification of the luggage.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to luggage, and more particularly toprotection for luggage.

Today's luggage is hard to clean and even harder to keep clean and dry.In regular use luggage is exposed to dirt, grime and inclement weathergenerated by traveling.

Likewise, security precautions have limited the use of locks and otherclosures during air and other travel modes. Once the user checks theirbags, it is therefore difficult to secure the contents of the luggagefrom prying hands.

Another challenge encountered by travelers is identifying their luggage,whether at a baggage claim facility or when directing valets and otherbaggage handlers when many luggage items look alike.

As can be seen, there is a need for an apparatus and method forprotecting luggage, its contents, and providing a ready means of luggageidentification.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect of the present invention a luggage wrap is disclosed toprotect an article of luggage. The luggage wrap includes an elongatedpiece of fabric material dimensioned to cover a front, a top, and a backside of an article of luggage. A cutout is defined at an intermediatesection of the material and provides a hand access to at least onehandle on the top end of the article of luggage. A plurality of elasticside straps interconnect a front panel and a back panel of the material.

The luggage wrap may also include a plurality of pockets defined in theback panel of the material. An elastic bottom strap may be provided tointerconnect a bottom end of the front panel and a bottom end of theback panel of the fabric material.

In some embodiments, the bottom strap has a first end attached to thefront panel and a free end that is attachable to the back panel of thefabric material via a cooperating fastener. The bottom strap is attachedto be disposed between ground transport wheels of the article ofluggage.

In other embodiments, the plurality of elastic side straps are disposedin a spaced apart relation to receive a side handle of the article ofluggage between the plurality of elastic side straps.

In other aspects of the invention, a luggage wrap includes an elongatedpiece of fabric material dimensioned to cover at least a front, a top,and a back face of an article of luggage. A cutout is defined at anintermediate section of the material providing a hand access to at leastone handle on the top side of the article of luggage. An elastic bottomstrap interconnects a bottom end of the front panel and a bottom end ofthe back panel of the material.

A plurality of elastic side straps may interconnect a front panel and aback panel of the material along a lateral side of the material.

In some embodiments, the elastic bottom strap is connectable to the backpanel via a cooperating fastener. The cooperating fastener may be a hookand loop material.

In some embodiments, the plurality of elastic side straps are disposedin a spaced apart relation to receive a side handle of the article ofluggage between the plurality of elastic side straps.

These and other features, aspects and advantages of the presentinvention will become better understood with reference to the followingdrawings, description and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of the luggage wrap;

FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view of the luggage wrap;

FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the luggage wrap;

FIG. 4 is a front view of the luggage wrap; and

FIG. 5 is a back view of the luggage wrap.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplatedmodes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. Thedescription is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merelyfor the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention,since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims.

Broadly, embodiments of the present invention provide a protective wrapfor an article of luggage. The luggage wrap can protect the exterior ofthe luggage from marring, dirt, grime, and inclement weather. Theluggage wrap can also serve as a security item to prevent or deterunlawful pilfering and theft of items carried in the luggage. Theluggage wrap of the present invention can also provide distinctiveidentification for the luggage item to facilitate identification andretrieval of the correct item of luggage.

As stated above, today's luggage is hard to clean and even harder tokeep clean and dry. The luggage wrap of the present invention helpsprotect luggage from dirt, grime and inclement weather generated bytraveling. It helps secure luggage from prying hands and helps toidentify luggage when they all look alike. This invention will helpextend the useful life of a piece of luggage.

As seen in reference to the drawings of FIGS. 1-5, the luggage wrap 14of the present invention securely wraps around a piece of luggage 10protecting the outer fabric of the luggage 10 from the dirt and grime oftoday's airports. The luggage wrap 14 is made of a durable weatherresistant material that will help keep contents dry. The fabric mayinclude a variety of colors and designs to facilitate identification ofthe luggage 10 and may include monogramming and other indicia for thispurpose. The material is preferably machine washable.

The luggage wrap 14 includes an elongated piece of fabric having acutout 28 at an intermediate portion thereof, corresponding to a top ofthe luggage 10 where an extensible handle 12 or a luggage carryinghandle 16 is secured to the item of luggage 10. The luggage wrap 14 hasa lateral width corresponding to somewhat standardized items of luggage10. The luggage wrap 14 has a length to wrap around the top, front,rear, and in some instances a bottom of the luggage 10.

At least one elastic strap 18 extends between a front and a back panelof the luggage wrap 14 so that the luggage wrap 14 fits snugly to theitem of luggage 10. The back panel may have a plurality of pockets 24defined therein.

A strap 22 is provided to interconnect the front panel to the back panelwith a fastener, such as a hook and loop fastener, a buckle, or snaps.The strap 22 may be formed of an elastic material. In the non-limitingembodiment shown, a first end of the strap 22 is attached at a bottom ofthe front panel. A second, free end of the strap 22 is provided with afastener 26 to secure to a cooperating fastener 32 at a bottom end ofthe rear panel. In this manner, the luggage wrap 14 may be snuglyemplaced to cover at least the front, top, and rear panels of theluggage 10. For shorter luggage 10, the front panel may also wrap orpartially wrap the bottom panel of the luggage 10. The strap 22 ispositioned so that it may wrap around the luggage 10 without interferingwith one or more ground wheels 20 supporting the luggage 10.

The elements of the present invention attach together to make a garmentlike cover 14 that wraps over the luggage item 10 to help keep it freeof dirt and grime, helps secure luggage 10 by snugly wrapping over it,and helps identifying luggage 10.

In a non-limiting embodiment, the wrap 14 may be formed of a 62″×19″piece soft shell material. The cutout 28 may be a 6″×10″ opening for thehandles 12, 16 at the top of the luggage. The material may then befolded in half making the front and rear panels at roughly 31″. Straps18 may be 2″×9″ pieces of elastic are attached between the front leftand the back left sides and repeat the same process for the right side.Strap 22 may then be a 2″×15″ from the same soft shell material tosecure the bottom of the around the luggage 10. Strap 22 is attached tothe bottom front center of the wrap 14 and is attachable to the backside of the wrap where a 2″×5″ hook material 32 is attached. The strap22 is provided with a 2″×5″ loop material 26 attached to the free end tocouple with the patch of the hook material 32.

In use, a person would wrap this luggage wrap 14 over their luggage 10to protect it from the dirt and grime of busy airports, inclementweather. The luggage 10 is at least partially secured in that otherunsecured luggage presents a more readily pilferable target, since theluggage wrap 14 is designed to fit securely around your luggage. With aselection of colors, designs and indicia, the luggage wrap 14 may alsohelp the user identify their luggage 10.

It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates toexemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may bemade without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as setforth in the following claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A luggage wrap, comprising: an elongated piece offabric material dimensioned to cover a front, a top, and a back side ofan article of luggage; a cutout defined at an intermediate section ofthe material providing hand access to at least one handle on the top endof the article of luggage; and a plurality of elastic side strapsinterconnecting a front panel and a back panel of the material.
 2. Theluggage wrap of claim 1, further comprising: a plurality of pocketsdefined in the back panel of the material.
 3. The luggage wrap of claim1, further comprising: an elastic bottom strap interconnecting a bottomend of the front panel and a bottom end of the back panel of thematerial.
 4. The luggage wrap of claim 3, the bottom strap having afirst end attached to the front panel and a free end attachable to theback panel of the fabric material via a cooperating fastener.
 5. Theluggage wrap of claim 4, wherein the bottom strap is attached to bedisposed between ground transport wheels of the article of luggage. 6.The luggage wrap of claim 5, wherein the plurality of elastic sidestraps are disposed in a spaced apart relation to receive a side handleof the article of luggage between the plurality of elastic side straps.7. A luggage wrap, comprising: an elongated piece of fabric materialdimensioned to cover at least a front, a top, and a back face of anarticle of luggage; a cutout defined at an intermediate section of thematerial providing a hand access to at least one handle on the top sideof the article of luggage; and an elastic bottom strap interconnecting abottom end of the front panel and a bottom end of the back panel of thematerial.
 8. The luggage wrap of claim 7, further comprising: aplurality of elastic side straps interconnecting a front panel and aback panel of the material along a lateral side of the material.
 9. Theluggage wrap of claim 8, wherein the elastic bottom strap is connectableto the back panel via a cooperating fastener.
 10. The luggage wrap ofclaim 9, wherein the cooperating fastener is a hook and loop material.11. The luggage wrap of claim 10, wherein the plurality of elastic sidestraps are disposed in a spaced apart relation to receive a side handleof the article of luggage between the plurality of elastic side straps.